Facebook has ties to photo-sharing app released in China, report says

Facebook reportedly used a stealthy tactic to enter China, a country that blocks the tech firm’s apps.

The company approved the release of Colorful Balloons, a photo-sharing app that made its debut in China, The New York Times reported, citing a person with knowledge of the company’s plans.

The app looks similar to Facebook’s Moments app and it isn’t clear if Chinese regulators know it exists.

Colorful Balloons was released by the company Youge Internet Technology. The executive director of that company Zhang Jingmei was also photographed in a meeting between Facebook and the Chinese government.

“Colorful Balloons gives the Silicon Valley company a way to see how Chinese users digitally share information with their friends or interact with their favorite social media platforms,” New York Times reporter Paul Mozur wrote.

With a mission to “bring the world closer together,” Facebook has been trying to grow users every year. It currently has more than 2 billion monthly users.